September 3, 2010
He was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's choice to number India's teeming millions. Nandan Nilekani was the rock star of corporate India delivered to Yojana Bhavan as if by FedEx to head the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The UPA Government had taken inspiration from Nilekani's own thinking-which he espoused in his book Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century-on the need for a unique identity number for citizens. Nilekani quit his much-respected job as co-chairperson of Infosys last year to take up the new assignment with a sense of duty for the larger cause.
But as he moves beyond the rhetoric of Imagining India to the task of Imaging India, the UID project is coming under the scanner for its utility in a country that has already become a house of identity cards. Though the authority is all set to roll out the process this month, the UID's ability to give a massive jolt to the flawed public delivery system based on identity numbers is being questioned. Many social activists, thinkers and even leaders like the Congress's Mani Shankar Aiyar are wondering whether the project is worthwhile.
The UID will assign a unique number (Aadhaar number) to each enrolled individual. Various registering agencies like banks or insurance companies will be appointed to identify the person in case of his dealings with a public organisation, regulatory authority or law enforcement agency. The information on the UID database will be basic-name, date of birth, place of birth, gender, the name and UID numbers of both parents, address, and photograph and fingerprints.
"UID is an important part of public service delivery reforms. Its benefits will be far greater than its cost."
Nandan Nilekani, UIDAI chairman
Unlike the pan card or the voter's id card, the UID number will not ensure any benefits or rights. It will only help in identifying the person while opening bank accounts or enrolling for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) jobs. The Government has approved a budget of Rs 3,170 crore for the first two phases spread over five years. It is selling the new UID number as a system that will uniquely identify each person and enable it to target and deliver services effectively, especially in the Public Distribution System (PDS). With a network of over four lakh fair price shops selling commodities worth more than Rs 15,000 crore to about 16 crore families every year, the PDS is one of the largest distribution networks of its kind in the world.
One of the key challenges most Indians face is the difficulty in establishing their identity. The UID claims to end the menace of having to hold more than one ID card to access entitled benefits. According to the UIDAI, "The singular problem that it will seek to solve is of 'identity'. Once a person has a UID number, their basic identity, linked to their biometrics, is established and can be used to uniquely identify the individual."
But many think that the scheme is a step behind social realities that reduce the access of needy sections to welfare schemes in spite of a series of identity cards. Questions are being asked about introducing a new number-based identity when several identity proofs already exist. "The Aadhaar number will not do away with all the other cards. Over time, it will be the unifying number across various cards. It will enable online authentication of identity and will be a proof of identity, especially for those sections of society that have no such form now," says Nilekani.
This article appeared in the India Today magazine dated August 23, 2010. Subscribe to the print copy or read it on Zinio and Kindle.
The recurring problem with the PDS is not that above poverty line families creep into the system but that many worthy BPL families are out of the ambit of the scheme. A 2005 Planning Commission study found that about 58 per cent of subsidised foodgrain does not reach BPL families. The UID in no way guarantees benefits and the new law doesn't prevent various service providers from seeking other background documents even if an applicant has a valid UID number.
"Hi-tech without Panchayati Raj is just a bogus stunt for geeks and nerds." Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress leader
Thus, it is no guarantee for an immigrant worker from Bihar to get a ration card in Delhi. In effect, the number may add to the existing set of worries. Nilekani agrees that it is still the responsibility of the state governments to determine the eligibility for benefits. But he insists that the Aadhaar number will facilitate the process. Others argue that the UID is a wrong solution for a bigger problem.
He was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's choice to number India's teeming millions. Nandan Nilekani was the rock star of corporate India delivered to Yojana Bhavan as if by FedEx to head the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The UPA Government had taken inspiration from Nilekani's own thinking-which he espoused in his book Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century-on the need for a unique identity number for citizens. Nilekani quit his much-respected job as co-chairperson of Infosys last year to take up the new assignment with a sense of duty for the larger cause.
But as he moves beyond the rhetoric of Imagining India to the task of Imaging India, the UID project is coming under the scanner for its utility in a country that has already become a house of identity cards. Though the authority is all set to roll out the process this month, the UID's ability to give a massive jolt to the flawed public delivery system based on identity numbers is being questioned. Many social activists, thinkers and even leaders like the Congress's Mani Shankar Aiyar are wondering whether the project is worthwhile.
The UID will assign a unique number (Aadhaar number) to each enrolled individual. Various registering agencies like banks or insurance companies will be appointed to identify the person in case of his dealings with a public organisation, regulatory authority or law enforcement agency. The information on the UID database will be basic-name, date of birth, place of birth, gender, the name and UID numbers of both parents, address, and photograph and fingerprints.
"UID is an important part of public service delivery reforms. Its benefits will be far greater than its cost."
Nandan Nilekani, UIDAI chairman
Unlike the pan card or the voter's id card, the UID number will not ensure any benefits or rights. It will only help in identifying the person while opening bank accounts or enrolling for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) jobs. The Government has approved a budget of Rs 3,170 crore for the first two phases spread over five years. It is selling the new UID number as a system that will uniquely identify each person and enable it to target and deliver services effectively, especially in the Public Distribution System (PDS). With a network of over four lakh fair price shops selling commodities worth more than Rs 15,000 crore to about 16 crore families every year, the PDS is one of the largest distribution networks of its kind in the world.
One of the key challenges most Indians face is the difficulty in establishing their identity. The UID claims to end the menace of having to hold more than one ID card to access entitled benefits. According to the UIDAI, "The singular problem that it will seek to solve is of 'identity'. Once a person has a UID number, their basic identity, linked to their biometrics, is established and can be used to uniquely identify the individual."
But many think that the scheme is a step behind social realities that reduce the access of needy sections to welfare schemes in spite of a series of identity cards. Questions are being asked about introducing a new number-based identity when several identity proofs already exist. "The Aadhaar number will not do away with all the other cards. Over time, it will be the unifying number across various cards. It will enable online authentication of identity and will be a proof of identity, especially for those sections of society that have no such form now," says Nilekani.
This article appeared in the India Today magazine dated August 23, 2010. Subscribe to the print copy or read it on Zinio and Kindle.
The recurring problem with the PDS is not that above poverty line families creep into the system but that many worthy BPL families are out of the ambit of the scheme. A 2005 Planning Commission study found that about 58 per cent of subsidised foodgrain does not reach BPL families. The UID in no way guarantees benefits and the new law doesn't prevent various service providers from seeking other background documents even if an applicant has a valid UID number.
"Hi-tech without Panchayati Raj is just a bogus stunt for geeks and nerds." Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress leader
Thus, it is no guarantee for an immigrant worker from Bihar to get a ration card in Delhi. In effect, the number may add to the existing set of worries. Nilekani agrees that it is still the responsibility of the state governments to determine the eligibility for benefits. But he insists that the Aadhaar number will facilitate the process. Others argue that the UID is a wrong solution for a bigger problem.
"The problem with our social investments is not duplication of cards but exclusion of a large number of citizens. Instead of pouring money to remove duplication, which is only a minor part of the problem, the Government needs to expand the schemes to include more needy people," says R. Ramkumar of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
When the Planning Commission first decided on the scheme, it was not about numbers being assigned to people but smart cards, much like a multi-storied building where each scheme is "housed" in one floor. Now the idea of the card has been abandoned and the UIDAI's purview will be limited to issuing unique identification numbers. If you are asking for a job under the MGNREGS, the authorities will send your number to the UIDAI centralised office and a message will be sent saying yes or no. This will verify whether you are the person you are claiming to be.
UID for Dummies
Five-year plan: Over five years from this year-end, the authority plans to issue 600 million UIDs through various "registrar" agencies across the country, which include both Government and private sector agencies like insurance companies and banks.
Database: A resident will have to go to an enrolling agency, fill up a form and provide the supporting documentation, including a photograph, all 10 fingerprints and iris scan. The enrolling agency will collect this data that will be passed on to the UID database.
Reaching the masses: If the individual is not already in the database, a UID number will be issued and sent to him at his home by speedpost. The tear-away portion in the letter can act as a card to reference the number.
Not proof enough: The UID number will not be proof of citizenship. It will include all residents who are in India and want to use public services.
Single window: It has been marketed as the single source of identity verification. People would be spared the trouble of repeatedly providing identity documents. They need to give their number as residence proof, which will be verified with the centralised data.
A FULL DECK
India has already become a house of ID cards
CARD : COVERAGE
PAN Card: Every person with taxable income
Election Photo Identity Card: Indian citizens above 18
Employee Provident Fund Org: Employees in the formal sector
Multi-Purpose National Identity Card : Citizens of India. Is issued by the Central Govt.
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana Card : Provides insurance cover to all BPL families
MGNREGS card : Citizens of India seeking employment under the scheme
Driving Licence : Citizens who are 18 and above
Passport: Citizens of India who travel abroad
Ration Card : Cards issued to those families who use the PDS system. Only BPL families qualify.
UID will not remove the pitfalls of the PDS. The exclusion that denies people access to food cannot be corrected by electronic identity. In fact, it will deepen the exclusion and criminalise the excluded," says social activist Vandana Shiva. The UID also cannot address two major sources of leakage in the PDS and MGNREGS. First, the diversion of grains and pulses happen on the way to the ration shops. Second, the dealers only sell part of the entitled food to the poor and testify on official documents that they have got their full quota.
0
"The innocuous application of UID to social policy does not diminish the danger of state control."
Jean Dreze, Economist
Foreign Hands
Privacy concerns have made ID cards a non-starter in many countries
European Countries
Most European Union members have voluntary and compulsory ID cards, except Denmark, Latvia and Lithuania. In Sweden, information is stored on a chip in the card and not in any central database.
United Kingdom
The government's attempts to impose compulsory ID cards sparked off fury early this year. The Home Affairs committee shot down the idea as its benefits outweighed the increased data protection risks.
United States
The Social Security programme number is also used as the national identification number. But attempts at introducing biometric national cards have come under fire from rights groups.
China
Early this year, China began issuing smart cards to its citizens. The cards can also help identify those who use ATMs, enter a building with an electronic guard system or even pick up their children from kindergarten.
Australia
In 1985, the government proposed Australian cards, mostly to curb tax evasion. Following a vigorous opposition campaign, the proposal was withdrawn in 1987.
Tech Troubles
UID faces the biggest challenge from its focus, the rural poor
Identity parade: Nilekani will bank on unique patterns on our fingers to identify 1.14 billion people. While two metrics will be used in issuing the UID number-an iris scan and a photograph-fingerprinting will be the metric used in authentication.
Quality check: Worn-out fingers of farmers and manual labourers have made the task tough for UID technicians. These fingers, euphemistically referred to in technical literature as "low-quality" fingerprints, exist precisely in the demographic segment the UID aims to help.
Blind reality: An iris scan can't be done on people with corneal blindness or corneal scars. The number of people with corneal blindness alone is estimated at six to eight million. Only a photograph can be used for identity determination until competent technology is developed.
No minor issue: Children's fingerprints, iris scans and photographs will be updated every five years till the age of 18. Till then, either of the parents will need to provide their biometric information for authentication.
This article appeared in the India Today magazine dated August 23, 2010. Subscribe to the print copy or read it on Zinio and Kindle.
When the Planning Commission first decided on the scheme, it was not about numbers being assigned to people but smart cards, much like a multi-storied building where each scheme is "housed" in one floor. Now the idea of the card has been abandoned and the UIDAI's purview will be limited to issuing unique identification numbers. If you are asking for a job under the MGNREGS, the authorities will send your number to the UIDAI centralised office and a message will be sent saying yes or no. This will verify whether you are the person you are claiming to be.
UID for Dummies
Five-year plan: Over five years from this year-end, the authority plans to issue 600 million UIDs through various "registrar" agencies across the country, which include both Government and private sector agencies like insurance companies and banks.
Database: A resident will have to go to an enrolling agency, fill up a form and provide the supporting documentation, including a photograph, all 10 fingerprints and iris scan. The enrolling agency will collect this data that will be passed on to the UID database.
Reaching the masses: If the individual is not already in the database, a UID number will be issued and sent to him at his home by speedpost. The tear-away portion in the letter can act as a card to reference the number.
Not proof enough: The UID number will not be proof of citizenship. It will include all residents who are in India and want to use public services.
Single window: It has been marketed as the single source of identity verification. People would be spared the trouble of repeatedly providing identity documents. They need to give their number as residence proof, which will be verified with the centralised data.
A FULL DECK
India has already become a house of ID cards
CARD : COVERAGE
PAN Card: Every person with taxable income
Election Photo Identity Card: Indian citizens above 18
Employee Provident Fund Org: Employees in the formal sector
Multi-Purpose National Identity Card : Citizens of India. Is issued by the Central Govt.
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana Card : Provides insurance cover to all BPL families
MGNREGS card : Citizens of India seeking employment under the scheme
Driving Licence : Citizens who are 18 and above
Passport: Citizens of India who travel abroad
Ration Card : Cards issued to those families who use the PDS system. Only BPL families qualify.
UID will not remove the pitfalls of the PDS. The exclusion that denies people access to food cannot be corrected by electronic identity. In fact, it will deepen the exclusion and criminalise the excluded," says social activist Vandana Shiva. The UID also cannot address two major sources of leakage in the PDS and MGNREGS. First, the diversion of grains and pulses happen on the way to the ration shops. Second, the dealers only sell part of the entitled food to the poor and testify on official documents that they have got their full quota.
0
"The innocuous application of UID to social policy does not diminish the danger of state control."
Jean Dreze, Economist
Foreign Hands
Privacy concerns have made ID cards a non-starter in many countries
European Countries
Most European Union members have voluntary and compulsory ID cards, except Denmark, Latvia and Lithuania. In Sweden, information is stored on a chip in the card and not in any central database.
United Kingdom
The government's attempts to impose compulsory ID cards sparked off fury early this year. The Home Affairs committee shot down the idea as its benefits outweighed the increased data protection risks.
United States
The Social Security programme number is also used as the national identification number. But attempts at introducing biometric national cards have come under fire from rights groups.
China
Early this year, China began issuing smart cards to its citizens. The cards can also help identify those who use ATMs, enter a building with an electronic guard system or even pick up their children from kindergarten.
Australia
In 1985, the government proposed Australian cards, mostly to curb tax evasion. Following a vigorous opposition campaign, the proposal was withdrawn in 1987.
Tech Troubles
UID faces the biggest challenge from its focus, the rural poor
Identity parade: Nilekani will bank on unique patterns on our fingers to identify 1.14 billion people. While two metrics will be used in issuing the UID number-an iris scan and a photograph-fingerprinting will be the metric used in authentication.
Quality check: Worn-out fingers of farmers and manual labourers have made the task tough for UID technicians. These fingers, euphemistically referred to in technical literature as "low-quality" fingerprints, exist precisely in the demographic segment the UID aims to help.
Blind reality: An iris scan can't be done on people with corneal blindness or corneal scars. The number of people with corneal blindness alone is estimated at six to eight million. Only a photograph can be used for identity determination until competent technology is developed.
No minor issue: Children's fingerprints, iris scans and photographs will be updated every five years till the age of 18. Till then, either of the parents will need to provide their biometric information for authentication.
This article appeared in the India Today magazine dated August 23, 2010. Subscribe to the print copy or read it on Zinio and Kindle.
